What can I plant?

[robertwhite]

Because Bermuda greens up late in the spring and goes dormant very early, combined with this past summers severe drought left me with having to feed hay several times late summer. I drilled in some wheat and winter rye in Oct but got it down too late to make a decent growth.

I am now thinking ahead to the spring and am wondering what I could put down, that would not take over the Bermuda, but will grow early and stay late and is drought resistant. I have no fescue and will not plant any.

Thoughts?

 

[BC]

RobertWhite, I don't know where you are located but here in East Texas we can use a clover/ryegrass mix overseeded into bermuda to extend your grazing season. Don't plant more than you can utilize as too much spring growth can shade out bermuda. I do not know of a grass that can produce well in a drought. Bermuda sends it roots down pretty deep, but needs rainfall to produce.

 

[greybeard]

will grow early and stay late and is drought resistant.

Bahia fits all 3 requirments, BUT, it will tend to take over.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Annual rye is becoming pretty popular in this area. We planted some in September, and got enough rain to get some good growth before it went dormant. Cows ate it first, over the fescue and clover, when we turned them out on it. We have been told that if we pull the cows off of it from mid may to mid June, it would reseed itself. We will see!

 

[greybeard]

The annual ryegrass we plant here will certainly re-seed and grow new plants the following cold cycle, tho usually not at the same coverage rate it was originally planted, and of course, if you get no rainfall in early fall the seeds it dropped in late spring/early summer will not germinate.